Warm-air liberator



' 1,644,920 Oct- 11 1927- H. c. HEmLE. JR v WARM AIR LIBERATOR FiledJune 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct; 11,1927. L 'l v,"

. H. C. HEINLE, JR

, WARM'AIR LIBERATOR Filed Junev :25,v 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V e Y Y Q en A l nu. A VU r P a .n M M, m 5 0 J .,ll1-- f l W W Il JAM@ Y wPatented Got. 11, 1927.

narran s'reins HENRY Cil-IBINLE, JR., OF HUNTINGTON PARK, CALIFORNIA.

WARM-nin Linnnn'ron.

Application filed June 25, 1925. Serial No.` 59,568;

This invention relates to enclosures, such as display cases,refrigerators and the like, and has more particular reference to adevice for automatically liberat-ing warm air from such enclosures whentheir doors are closed and after such warm air has been admitted uponopening of the door.

lt is well known that the temperature' within a refrigerator or the likeis frequently raised by the admission of warm air when Jthe door 'of thesame is opened, which warm air is trapped in the refrigerator when thedoor of the latter is closed. thus reducing the eliiciency of therefrigerator and resulting in excessive and expensive use of ice formaintainingthe interior of the refrigerator cool.

rlhe present invention embodies a device for overcoming the aboveobjections by preventing the escape of cool air from a refrigerator orthe like under normal concitions, and for automatically liberating thewarm air from the refrigerator upon closing the door of the latter.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the above kindwhichis simple and durable in construction and eliicient in operation.

l-ther objects will appear as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter moreA fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

ln the drawings, where-in like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout. the several views,

Figure 1 is a substantially7 central vertical longitudinal sectionalview of a warm air liberator constructed in accordance with the presentlinvention,

Figure 2, is a view of the device shown in Figure l partly in plan.partly in horizontal section, and partly broken away,

Figure 3 is a substantially'central, vertical, transverse sectional viewthereof, and

Figure el is a diagrammatic vertical section of a refrigerator equippedwith a pair of the devices shown in Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the warm air liberatorembodies a casing composed of a tubular body 5 closed at its upper orouter end by means of a forammous wall G of wire screen material or thelike. A tubular member 'T is tted into the lowerl end of the body 5 andthe walls of the same converge upwardlyso as to terminate in spacedrelation to the walls of the body 5 atl point intermediate the ends ofthe latter. A valve plate 8 is hinged along one edge as at 9 to theupper edge'of one wall ofthe tubular member 7 and'normally occupies aVhorizontal position for closing the upper end of the latter, thepremarginal portions ofthe valvev plate 8 resting on the upper edges ofthe remaining walls ofthe memberi. The body 5 is provided at its endswith continuous outwardly projecting flanges 10 and As shown in Figurell, the refrigerator Ol' the like is indicated at 12 and is providedwith a hinged door 13 which swings inwardly to closed position, andassociated with the top wall of the refrigerator are aplurality of thesewarm air liberating de-` vices. The body 5 of each device is fitted inan opening formed in the top wall of the refrigerator and the flanges 10and 11 engage the outer and inner surfaces of said wall about vtheopening whereby the body 5 is secured in place. The inner flange may besecured in place after the body is placed in the opening, and anysuitable means may be provided for securing such flange in place. Asshown, the lianges areV separate from the body 5 and engage the endsthereof, the flange 1()k being secured to the bodyby sol-ldering,.welding or the like and the flange 1l.

being` held in rplace by theflange 14 formed on the lower end of themember 7. How ever, other fastening means, such as bolts or the like maybe used if found necessary or desirable.

l/'Then the door 13 of the refrigerator 12 is opened, warm` airisadmitted to the interior of the refrigerator and rises to the top of thelatter. Closing of the door 13 will cause compression of the air in therefriger ator so that the valve plate 8 is momentarily lforced open'orswung upwardly, and the warm air is simultaneously forced out of therefrigerator through the body 5. As soon as the warm air. is released,the compression of the air in the refrigerator is relieved and the valveplate 8 lowers by gravity to closed position so as to prevent the escapeof cold air or the admission of Warm air. The foraminous wall 6 permitsthe escape of the warm air and prevents objects from entering the body 5and interfering with the operation of the valve plate 8.

One endV of the body 5 is provided with an inwardly projecting iange l5,theinner portion of which is 'depressed to setup the supporting ledge16', the surface of which ledge Y is below the edges of the body wallsso that f the screen 6, when placed thereon, will be flush with the endof the body. The flange 10 overlies the edges of the screen holding thesame in position as shown.

From the foregoing description it is believedthat the construction andoperation as well as the advantages of the present invens tion willbevreadily understood andappreciated by those skilled in thegart. e

Minor changes may `be made-without departing from thespirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed. I

What I vclaim as new is: j

vl. In a device of the character described, a tubular bodyadaptedV to betted in the opening'inthe wall of an inclosure, an inwardly extendingflange' at one end of said body having the outer surface, adjacent theAinner edge thereof, in a lower plane than the-adjacent edge` of saidbody to set up a supporting ledge,fa foraminous body resting e upon saidsupporting ledge and closing the adjacentedge ofthe body, continuousoutwardly projecting flanges on the ends of the body adapted to engagethe inner and outer surfaces ofthe wallabout the opening for securingthe body in position, one of said anges "overlying the inwardlyextending iange of the body and acting to maintain said foraminousbodyinposition, and a normallv closed check valve plate arranged withinthe body intermediate the ends thereof and ,adapted to `swing towardsaid fo,- raminous `body to open to permit'the passage of air throughthe tubular body. l

- 2. A warm air liberator including a tubular body adapted to be iittedin* an opening i in the. lwall of anl inelosure, continuous outwardlyVprojecting flanges on the ends of the body adapted to engage the innerand outer surfaces of the wall about the opening for securingA the bodyin the opening, a normally closed outwardly opening check-valve platewithin the body intermediate the ends of the latter for controlling thepassage of air therethrough, aV tubular member iitted into the lower endof the body, said check Vvalve plate being hinged along one vedge to lcontinuous outwardly projecting flange on Vthe innerend of said tubularmember engaging the inner margin of said inner iange ofthe body forretaining such iange in place against the inner surface of said wall.

3. A'warmair separating devicel of the character set forth, comprising'`a tubular body adapted to* be fitted .in an opening inV the wall of-anenclosure, means for main* taining said body in position in saidopening, a` tubular member 4fitted into one end of said first mentionedtubular body, having the walls thereof convergingA toward the in ner endto terminate in spaced relation to the walls of the surrounding body,said tubu-v lar member having the walls thereof VprovidedV withoutwardly projecting flanges designedto engage'overV the adjacent end ofthe encasing body tomaintainthe tubular member in position therein, anda check valve plate mounted upon the inner edges of the walls of lsaidtubular member,y and having hinged connections with the adjacent edgeofone of said walls. Y

ln testimony whereof lf affix my signature.

' HENRY C fI-IEINLE, JR.

